Consumption of soda and other sugary beverages in low income neighbourhoods of the US city of Berkeley, California, fell by 21% after the city imposed a “penny per ounce” tax on sugar sweetened beverages, a study has found.1 The observed decline was more than double the predicted 10% reduction, the researchers noted.

The tax, which was passed in November 2014 and implemented in March 2015, applied to sugar sweetened sodas, fruit flavoured drinks, and sweetened water, coffee, and tea …